Tape feeder, cutter, and moistener



May 15, 1951 E. M. BARNES ET AL 2,552,926

TAPE FEEDER, CUTTER, AND MOISTENER Filed Dec. 19, 194s s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

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. INVENTORS.

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. ATTORNEY.

May 15, 1951 E. M. BARNES ETAL 2,552,926

TAPE FEEDER, CUTTER, AND MOISTENER Filed Dec. 1.9, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 CZARE/VCE E. BARNES, INVENTORS- ATTORNEY.

May 15, 1951 r E. M. BARNES ETAL 2,552,925

V TAPE FEEDER, CUTTER, AND MOISTENER Filed Dec. 19, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet a FIG. 16.

t'vszs 77 N Bun/5 Alva (Zn/emcef. Bax/v56, INVENTORS- ATTORNEY.

Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT omce TAPE FEEDER, CUTTER, AND .MOISTENER.

Everett M. Barnes and Clarence E. Barnes, New Paris, Ohio Application December 19, 1946, Serial No. 717,136

3 Claims. (c1. 91

The mechanism shown in the accompanying three sheets of drawings and hereinafter described and claimed is adapted to be used. in connection with a folding mechanism in which paper strips are folded, and in connection with a banding mechanism which is adapted to wrap a moistened banding strip about the folded portion of the paper strips. The mechanism herein shown, described, and claimed, is adapted to provide moistened, gummed tape, for wrapping about the folded portions of the paper strips, and with the tape being introduced into the mechanism between the folding mechanism and the banding mechanism.

We are aware that tape moistening and cutting mechanisms are old in the art, but in the conventional types of mechanisms, moisture is applied to the gummed side of the tape, after which the tape is cut to the desired length, with the resultant clogging of the parts by contact with the moistened surface of the gummed side of the tape.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism for supplying gummed tape continuously, in which the tape is sheared to predetermined lengths, afterwhich the same is moistened.

A second object is theprovision of a mechanism adaptedto feed gummed tape between a series of rollers and between a shearing knife-and an engaging cut-off roller, and with other rollers providing a moistening medium to the gummed side of the tape.

Another object is the provision of moistening means, with the same engaging gummed tape at the central portion only, .and without the moistening medium. being .applied to the outer edges of the tape.

A further object is the provision of means for easily and quickly replacing rolls of gummed tape and with means being provided which resiliently maintain one side of the reel assembly in contact withtheroll of tape.

A still further object is the provision-of means for securing the free end of the tape in nonslipping and in feeding relation in the threading operation of the tape in the mechanism.

Other predominant and particular advantages of the invention will suggest themselves in the course of the following description, and that which is new will be pointed outin theappended claims.

The preferred, and most satisfactory manner of carrying out the principles, of the invention is shown in the accompanying three sheets of drawings, inwhich:

2 lFi'gure. 1v is a side elevation of a machine, and with the tape-supplying, cutting, and moisten; ing members being shown in connection there, with.

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation, takenfrom.

line 2-2 of Figure I, andushowing. the tape reeling members. Figure .3 is a detailside elevation .of thetapereel securing means.

Figure 4 is a front elevation .of the tape-reel. securing member, taken from line 44 .of. Figu're 3.

Figure 5' is a sectional detail through the tapereel securing means, .as taken on line 5-4. of Figure 4.

.Figure dis a detail showing the end portion of the reel-supporting shaft.

Figure 7 is a detail left end elevation of the housing and mechanism, taken from line ].T of

Figure l.

Figure 8 is a rear side elevation of the device, taken from line 88 of Figure 7, and showing the drive gear arrangement.

Figure 9 adetail section through the lhousing member or the device, taken on line 9-'5' of Figure 7, and with the liquid supplying means detail section, taken on line Figure 15 is :an isometric .detail of the shearing knife member. 7 Figure 16 is an isometric detail of the tapecontact'ing moistening roller member.

Figure, 17 is an isometric detail .of the cut-off roller member.

Like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

. In order that the advantages and .the severa feature of the inventionirnay be more fully .un-

derstood, we will now take up .a detailed description thereof, in which the same will be more fully set forth.

Referring now to thedrawingsiin detail, .I designates the .front face .of the housing member, -.with

the rear face of the housing being designated by numeral 2, and 3 designates the left end of the housing. 4 designates a hinged cover adapted to close the upper portion of the left end of the housing, and 5 designate a hinged cover adapted to close the right end of the housing. Cover 4 is hinged by means of rod 6 and cover 5 is hinged by means of rod 1, with both of the rods extending through and between the front and rear sides of the housing.

' A reel-supporting arm 8 extends upwardly from the upper portion of the housing, and with a reelsupporting stud 9 being secured in the upper end portion of the reel-supporting arm. A slot I9 is formed in the outwardly extending portion of stud 9, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter set forth. I V i The reel is comprised of asideplate H and a second side plate l2. Plate II is positioned on;v

stud 9 adjacent the supporting arm 8, and with therein and projecting thereinto for engagement with slot ID of stud 9. It will" be readily apparent, by'reference to Figures 1 through 6 that the roll of tape I3 is held between plates H and I2 by pressure'applied by spring l4 against plate l2. The collar I5 is secured in place on stud 9 by engagement of the inwardly-extending end of pin IS with slot l9, and with the pin being seated in portion ll) of the slot. 7 I

The tape is fed downwardly from the reel and engages pin l'i which is threaded into the housing, as shown in Figure 14. A knurled member I8 is threaded on outwardly-extending threaded portion ll, with member l8 engaginga shoulder formed on pin l1 and limiting the movement of member l8 toward the housing. Knurled member I8 is threaded ontoportion l1 and provides means engaging and locking member |8 in fixed relation. Members l8 and I9 provide means for adjustably changing the exposed tape-contacting portion of pin H for accommodating tapes of different widths.

The tape is fed downwardly from pin H between'a pair of gripping rollers l9 and 29, and

into contacting engagement with the end of shearing knife 2|. A shearing edge'22 is formed on one end of the knife 2|, as shown more clearly ln'Figures 11 and 15. The shearing knife is secured against the front face of housing I by means of threaded screw 24 extending through the slot 23. An adjusting screw 25 provides means of adjustment of the shearing knife 2| with relation to cut-off roller 25. Roller 26 has a hardened shearing projection 21 formed thereon which is adapted to rotate into shearing engagement with the shearing edge 22 of knife member' 2|, with the engagement of members 21 and 2| shearing the tape which is passing therebetween.

The tape is fed downwardly from its engagement with the cut-off roller 26 and the shearing edge 22 between rollers 28 and 29, and is engaged thereby. Roller 29 has a raised portion 30 formed around the [central portion thereof, as shown in Figure 16. A liquid reservoir 3| is provided on the machine, and in which a roller 32 is located and-is adapted'to rotate in the liquid and to carry the same into contact with the surface of roller 33, from which the liquid is transferred to portion 39 of roller 29 and then transferred to the gummed surface of the tape as the same passes downwardly between rollers 28 and 29. After passing between rollers 28- and 29, the tape passes between another set of rollers 34 and 35. It will be noted, by reference to Figures 1 and 11, that rollers 34 and 35 are not in contacting relation with each other, but the tape is merely guided therebetween in its downward movement.

Roller 36, together with guard member 31, guard-securing screws 38, block 39, and its securing screw 49, together with roller 35, are a part of a banding mechanism shown and described in our application for United States Patent entitled Banding Mechanisms, Serial No. 699,122, filed September 25, 1946, and now abancloned, and in which thepurpose and the operation thereof are more fully set forth.

Roller 36 is provided with guard member 3'! which prevents the downwardly travelling tape from engaging the surface of roller 35 in its downward movement. i

There are occasional instances in which there may be interruptions of the supply of folded strips engaging the tape adjacent the rollers 35 and 36, and in which event we have provided roller 4| which rotates in the'direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 1 and 11. Should there be a cessation in thesupply of folded strips engaging the tape, the tape will travel downwardly adjacent the curved surface of guard member 31, and will be discarded to a point remote to other moving parts of the mechanism by contact with roller 4|.

Guard andguiding means 42 and 43, provide means guiding the tape in its downward movement between the series of rollers and also prevent the tape from becoming engaged and entangled with the various rollers in its downward movement. Guard member 42 partially surrounds rollers I9, 26, 39, and .33, while guard member 43 partially surrounds rollers 29 and 28. In addition to providing guard means with relation to rollers 29 and 28, guard member 43 also provides guiding meansfor theadjustment of shearing knife 2|, as shown in Figures 1 and 11 Guard member 43 is further provided with a threaded aperture for the reception of the shearing knife adjusting screw 25.

A scraper member 44 is secured to the under side of guard member 42, and has one end thereof in engaging contact with moistening surface 30 of roller 29, and provides means preventing an accumulation of gum material on surface 39.

Power is supplied to the mechanism through shaft 45 which is connected in driven relation to a power supply (not shown), with bevel gear 46 being secured on the end portion thereof and meshing with a companion bevel gear 47 which is secured on shaft 48, as shown in Figure 9. Power is transmitted from shaft 48, through gear 49 meshing with gear 59 which is secured on shaft 5|, as shown in Figure 10. Roller 34 is secured on the forward end of shaft 5|. Shaft 5| has a second gear 52 secured to the rear end thereof, through which power is transmitted to shaft 53 through gear 54 which is secured thereto, and with roller 35 being secured on the forward end of shaft 53. Power is transmitted from gear 54 to'shaft 55 through gear 56 secured on the rear 7 end of shaft 55, and with roller 36 being secured, on the forward end thereof. Shaft 51, carrying] 'r'oller lll on the forward end thereof, is powered c'ured on the forward end of shaft 64, is powered through gear 55 which meshes with gear 63. Shaft 66 is provided with power through gear 61 secured on the rear end and meshing with gear 63; Roller 33 is secured on the forward endo'f shaft 66. Cut-off roller 26 is secured on the for- Ward end of shaft 63 which has gear B9 secured on the rear end thereof, and with gear 69 meshing with gear 67. H, which is secured on stub shaft FB and with gear H meshing with gear 13 which is secured on the rear end of shaft 12, and with roller l9 being secured on the forward end of shaft 12.

gear 13, and power is transmitted through shaft 14 to roller which is secured on the forward end of the shaft.

It will be noted, by reference to Figure 9, that roller 20 is spring-loaded toward roller I9 by means of spring 16 bearing against block 11. Block 11 is pivotally-positioned onshaft 18 which is, journalled in the front and rear side members.

Spring-loading of roller 29 permits movement thereof away from rollerby downward pressure on lever 19 which is rigidly s'ecured'to block 71. The end portion of lever 19- extends outwardh through an aperture formed through hinged cover 5, and with the separation of the rollers l9 and 20 providing means for threading the tape between the rollers.

Roller 28 is spring-loaded toward moistening roller 29 by means of spring 83 bearing against block 8| through which shaft 64 is pivotally positioned with relation to pivot shaft 82, as shown in Figure 9, with the spring-loading of roller 28 providing positive contact of the tape against the moistening surface of roller 29.

Liquid to be usedin moistening the gummed surface of the tape is supplied from a suitable storage member 83 which is removably supported on a suitable supporting member 84. Storage member 83 is provided with liquid leveling means 85 which has the lower end thereof adjusted to the level of liquid to be maintained in liquid reservoir 3!. Tube member 86 provides means communicating from storage member 83 to a pan formed in supporting member 84. Liquid is conveyed from the pan of supporting member 84 to the liquid reservoir 3| by means of connecting tube member 8?, and with the connecting tube being relnovably secured to the supporting member by means of connection 88, and to liquid reservoir by means of connection 89.

Operation In the operation of the device, a roll of tape [3 is positioned on stud 9 against reel plate I I, after which reel plate 12 is positioned on the stud and with the plate l2 bearing against the opposite side of the roll of tape from plate ll, after which collar l5, carrying spring I4, is positioned on the stud with pin l6 engaging slot IQ of the stud member. With spring l4 engaging plate 12, collar 15 is pressed toward the reel until pin I6 Gear 69 meshes with idler gear Gear- 15 is secured on the end of shaft 74 and meshes with engagement between rollers I9 and 20.

gamma reachesthe inner end of slot Ill, after which the"- collar is turned in a clockwise direction untilthe projecting end of pin I6 is seated in slot portion" H! of stud 9, and with the collar l5 being locked againstmovement away from the reel.

The end of tape l 3 is fed downwardly from the reel and over pin ll, thence downwardly into In order to thread the tape between rollers l9 and 20, it

is necessary to move roller 20 slightly away fromroller I 9 by pressing downwardly on the projecting end portion of lever 19. After the end of the tape is positioned between rollers l9 and 29, the downward pressure on lever 19 is released, androller 20 is forced toward roller l9 by means of spring :16. tapeis unnecessary as the tape is moved down= wardly by reason of its engagement between the gripping surfaces of rollers l9 and 20, in the rotation thereof.

The tape I3 is fed downwardly by engagement thereof with rollers l9 and 20 and into engage ment with the shearing edge 22 of knife member 2 I. Rotation of cut-off roller 26 brings the shearing projection 21 thereof into engagement with the tape at its point of contact with edge 22 of the knife member. The rotation of roller 26 causes a shearing action of edge 2! against edge 22 and the tape is sheared thereby. It will be noted, by reference to Figures 1, 11, and 15,. that the shearing edge 22 is angularly disposed with relation to member 2! and also with relation to axis of roller 26. The angularity of edge 22 provides means whereby the edge of the tape is sheared square in its downward movement in its engagement with rotating edge 21 of roller 26.

It will be noted that the distance between the axis of rollers 28 and 29 with relation to axis of gaged between rollers 28 and 29 before that particular length of tape is sheared.

As the tape passes between rollers 28 and 29, the gummed side thereof is moistened by contact with the moistened surface 30 of roller 29. Liquid is collected by roller 32 which is in running contact with the liquid in the reservoir 3| with the liquid being transferred from roller 32 to roller 33 by the contact of the rollers. The liquid is then transferred to surface 30 of roller 29 by contact of surface 30 with roller 33, and is transferred to thegummed surface of the tape l3 by contact with surface 30. It will be noted, by reference to Figure 16, that surface 30 is of comparatively less width than roller 29. The surface 30 is also of less width than the tape l3, and with only the central portion of the gummed tape contacting the moistening surface 30. It is apparent then that the outer edge surfaces of the gummed side of the tape is not moistened. Upon engagement of the tape with the folded paper strips (not shown) and the passage thereof between rollers 35 and. 36 (not shown and described in the above-mentioned application Serial No. 699,122), the ,moistening medium is spread to the outer edge surfaces of the tape by reason of the pressure applied thereto in the passage between rollers 35 and 3B, and thereby eliminating an excess of liquid which would be present if the entire width of the gummed tape would be moistened in its passage between rollers 28 and 29.

It will be further noted, by reference to Figure 11, that the distance from the line of tangency Further manual threading of the between therollers 35 and 36 and the'point of engagement of contact of the tape between rollers 28 and 29 is less than one length of the sheared tape, and with the upper end portion of one piece of sheared and moistened tape being supported between rollers 28 and 29 while the lower end portion of the tape is engaged by the folded paper strips travelling toward the tangency line of rollers 35 and 38. As the tape and the folded paper strips pass into engagement with rollers 35 and 36, the upper end portion of the one piece of tape is being released from between rollers 28 and 29 by the downward movement of the.

tape therebetween.

Roller 34 merely serves as a guide to the downwardly moving tape and provides means positioning the tape with relation to rollers 35 and 36 for engagement by the folded paper strips.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, we dea part of the machine and having a shearing edge in angular relation to the path of the tape, with the cutting edge of the cut-off roller operating in shearing contact with the angularly disposed shearing edge of the shearing knife, and with the angular position of the shearing edge of the shearing knife forming a square cut-off of the tape being fed between the shearing knife and the rotating cut-off roller.

2. In combination with a tape feeding, cutting, and moistening device, tape cutting means forming a part of said device, means advancing tape continuously to and between the cutting means, said tape cutting means being composed of a fixed shearing knife and a continually rotating cutoff roller having a shearing edge formed across the facethereof, with the, shearing'edge' of the;

3. In combination with a tape feeding, cutting,

and moistening device, a knife member adjustably secured to said device and. with a shearing edge formed on one end thereof adjacent the path of tape passing through the device, with the shearingedge of the knife member being formed angularly with relation to the body portion of the knife member and in angular relation to the path of the tape, a cut-off roller rotatably positioned on the device and located adjacent the angularlydisposed shearing edge of the knife member, with a shearing edge being formed across the circumferential face of the cut-off roller and with the rotation of the cut-off roller bringing the shearing edge thereof into shearing contact with the shearing edge of the knife member, and with the angularly-disposed shearing edge of the knife member forming a square cut on tape feeding between the shearing edge of the knife member and the shearing edge of the cut-off roller, and with the cut-off V roller and the tape being in continuous motion.

EVERETT M. BARNES. CLARENCE E. BARNES.

REFERENCES CITED .The following references are of record in thefile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

